Girls' Frontline: Silence 01

Viewers are treated to a two-parter this time, so there is a bit of intrigue about what will occur next in Episodes 4 and 5. In episode 3, M4A1 escaped her pursuer, the ominous Sangvis Executioner. Thanks to her savvy and aid from the Griffin Dolls in the area, M4A1 has been transported to the forward Griffin base under the command of Helian.

Though successful, M4A1`s escape was not without incident as her body sustained significant injuries. As she lays bedridden, her concern shifts to her comrades. She wishes to see the commander; however, that request is denied as Gentiane is in the field fighting Sangvis's forces.

"Big Sis" M16, AR-15, and SOPII have been behind enemy lines for some time and remain uncaptured and rescued. As she recovers, she attempts to contact the other members of the AR Team. Making contact, she informs Gentiane, who was initially unhappy to see her.

This is partly due to Gentiane suffering from a lack of sleep and being awakened by the other Dolls of Griffin. There is also the difference in operational philosophy as the AR Team tends to operate alone. Though as seen in Episode One, Griffin T-Dolls have assisted. That aside, Gentiane shifts gears and plans a mission to extract the remaining members of the AR Team.

Though brief, it is nice to see some interaction between the AR Team when M4 makes contact. There is a close bond between the 16Lab created Dolls, and they are sisters as much as they are soldiers.

SOPII is the apparent baby sister of the group and is very much an attention seeker. Her antics add a little comedy to the episode, though M4 trumps it when she is blindsided by MP5, MG3, and the rest of the T-Dolls. M4 is taken aback by the many models and personalities present, and the scene looks like a massive all-girl cosplay!

This all-girl cosplay is an excellent addition for you demon boys out there complaining about the lack of fanservice. Don't expect "Mother of the Goddess Dormitory" ecchi levels, but there are a few scenes here and there.

Personally, the Nightboss wants to see some cyborg blood splattered across the battlefield and hear more of Hitomi Nabatame's voice, but that will be delayed.

Unlike prior episodes, there isn't a climactic fight with a high-end Sangvis Doll, so there isn't the constant talking back and forth during the fighting. Instead, the focus is on the T-Dolls. Viewers can expect to see Girls' Frontline's version of Stormtroopers; the Jaegers receive a great deal of screen time this round.

There is also more dialogue between Gentiane and M4 explaining the difference between the modified Civilian T-Dolls and 16Lab Dolls. This detail adds balance to the story as Team AR is nearly on par with the higher-end Sangvis models while the average T-Doll is slightly above a Jaeger.

That is why M4 could sustain heavy combat damage and be combat-ready in a shorter period than her counterparts. The friction between M4 and Gentiane will play out again, except with the rescued SOPII.

Though she can be immature and fiercely independent, SOPII is loyal to her AR sister. So it is no shock that when she is rescued, she immediately wants to go back and save AR15, who sacrificed herself for SOPII. She initially is resistant to following the orders of someone other than M4 but calms down when M4 explains that the duo does not have to fight alone that they have friends who will help them.

Unfortunately, the mission to save AR-15 is delayed, you knew that right, for a climactic battle between the Sangvis Jaegers and the Griffin Dolls. It is learned that Sangvis intercepted M4's transmission and the base invasion was to draw her out. The base invasion was also a chance to showcase the animation and a few garters.

The animation hasn't changed much though there were a few questionable frames, especially during the base invasion. There were so many Jaegers on screen the animators used a panning effect to show them getting destroyed en masse. Not a deal-breaker, but it is an apparent attempt to save money. Hey, you do what you have to do.

This wasn't a bad episode; there was less exposition and more action. The pacing is still good, and the voice acting was consistent. The best is still saved for last as we learn the whereabouts of AR15. We also meet a new Sangvis model known as Hunter. She is now tasked with the capture of M4. Her brief exposition provides the setup for Episode Five, Silence 02.